I

-()-

Clara set in the small hotel room waiting for the young boy to wake up, 'It's been five days how much sleep does the little brat need.' It had been annoying tracking back to find somewhere with a doctor to heal the boy. She had hadn't realised just how few healers there actually were in these lands. In her homeland there was always a healer of some kind, not necessarily a good healer but there was usually something.

However, within the continent she was on there was nothing like that, doctors were rare in the small villages; she had to pass through two of the smaller villages until she found a decent sized town. The only time she had stopped carrying him was so she had to change his bandages. The only thing she was thankful for that he didn't have a collapsed lung or he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did.

When she had finally found someone that could heal him it was an effort in patience trying to get them to help.

-(Flash Back)-

Walking into the large town with the small bundle in her arms Clara set about looking for someone that would be able to heal the boy, every town that she had come to so far had nothing, no doctor, no healer, not even some weird voodoo specialist.

Part of her regretted not continuing on to the possible mercenary village, but she knew that if one of them attempted something on the boy, there would probably be others. You could call her paranoid but she hadn't survived this long by ignoring her gut.

The town was rather large with buildings made out of stone, it seemed like a major trading point if she had to judge. Considering the vendors and that many roads led to the town. Five entrances is a nightmare to guard but it makes sense for a trade location.

Walking through the town she realised that the fatigue was catching up to her, she would need to properly rest soon or she would most likely pass out. In addition, if she were to pass out no one would be able to help the boy. He had been asleep for the journey but every so often, she would hear a small whimper coming from the coat that she had wrapped him in. The worst though was when she had to change his bandages.

'Just one step in front of the other, you will find someone, just one more step' she would succeed it was a simple fact to her; she would succeed because she had to. There was no other reason, and no doubt in her mind.

Making her way towards one of the shops, she hoped that she would be able to find someone in the town; entering the small building, she noted that it was a general store; it seemed only to have two occupants at this time. One was the man behind the counter was a medium height brown haired man wearing rather plain looking clothes, the other was a girl about 13 or 14 with brown hair in a bob cut. She decided to try her luck and approach the man, carefully shifting the bundle in her arm to give access to the sword she belted to her side. With her coat being used by Naruto she needed to keep a weapon on her in case of trouble.

"Excuse... me... sir, a... healer in... town?" thinking it over there may have been someone to help the boy if she could properly articulate her questions.

The man took one look at her and said quite simply "I don't know who you are but I don't want no trouble just leave. Or I'll call the guards."

It took a second for his words to sink in "What do you mean trouble I just need a Fucking healer. How the fuck can you deny someone a healer..." taking a deep breath Clara tried to calm herself down, she noticed that the girl seem to be cowering back at her outburst.

"I need... doctor... I've wounded... boy... Please" she had no problem being nice to someone that deserved it but she shouldn't have to grate out the word for someone to help a child. Although this town was the first time, she was met with this type of reaction. She would have wondered was it how she looked or that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to run around with a sword on her hip.

"I know someone who can help." The voice was soft and sounded nearly like a mouse, Clara turned to see the girl that she had previously scared.

"Excuse me?" She didn't know whether to hold her breath or jump with glee, though jumping with the Naruto in her arms would have been a bad idea.

"I... I know someone who might be able to... to help" she was ringing her hands on the front of her clothes with her head hung low.

"Please... bring me... to them" Clara had to contain herself the girl looked positively frightened and this was the first bit of good news she had heard in a while.

The girl nodded her head and led her out of the store. She followed the girl until she came to what looked like some place of where people gambled though she wasn't quite sure what game they were playing. 'She better not be leading me somewhere dumb...'

"Tsunade-Sama, Tsunade-Sama, there is someone here who needs your help" the girl ran up to a woman with long blonde hair tied in two pigtails with some form of coat that with writing on the back of it. She wasn't sure what it said.

"Shizune you should not talk to strangers" the woman known as Tsunade said, the girl Shizune hung her head at the words. "But... But she needs a doctor"

Clara watched as the woman turned to take in her appearance, she couldn't help but find herself enraptured by the woman's appearance smooth pale skin, beautiful eyes of a hazel shade, cute button nose, soft pink lips and a green jewel on the top of her forehead. She was positively one of the prettiest women she had met. It helped that her low cut top showed off her sizable assets, 'Sweet mother of the almighty and any other divine that was involved there fucking huge." The sudden whimper from her coat brought her mind back to reality, with a firm face she set about her task.

"Are you... Doctor?" she asked with steel in her eyes, she could admire later now she had a job to complete.

"I don't do that anymore," she said before turning back to the machine in front of her. Shizune just looked between the two women.

'Don't do that anymore? What type of bullshit' that didn't make sense to her, a healer is always a healer. She had seen people of the faith loose there's and still heal because it is what they do. A killer who wants out is one thing but someone who has taken an oath to help cannot abandon it.

"Can you... help him?" Clara asks she was trying to hold her animosity in, she moves the bundle so that is in her left arm.

"No" she doesn't even turn around, as she speaks.

Now if it hadn't of been for the fact that the last place she was in had treated her with hostile actions then she may of left and tried to find someone else. If she maybe had have found something even remotely useful on her way here she may have continued without a problem. Ultimately, it had been that soft whimper of pain. That had determined her next course of action.

Balling her fist in anger, she threw a punch directly at the machine that Tsunade had been using. "Help Him!"She shouted in a harsh voice "or by my blades you will not know rest. By my hands you will know suffering and by my will you will lose your life" Her eyes were trying to bore a hole through the woman's skull. She noticed that the little girl had shrunk back again looking terrified.

Tsunade had a shocked look at the words that had been spoken, which quickly turned to a sneer as she prepared to get up. Her train of thoughts were suddenly broken when the sound of a child's whimpers reached her ears. Looking at the blonde-haired woman in front of her she finally noticed the bundle in her arm. A bundle that seemed to be whimpering. The woman's words started to sink in, the words that she understood. 'Are you a doctor? Help him, help him.' The two words started to repeat themselves in her head 'Help him, help him, help him.'

She reached out with a shaky hand towards the coat upon moving the coat she had wished that she had just got up and left. She was looking at a small unconscious blonde boy with bandages on his head and chest, he wasn't wearing a shirt and his green shorts were torn. He had bandages around his legs as well. With two homemade splints on his arms indicating that his forearms were broke. Every breath that he took seemed to be causing him pain. And the soft whimpers were leaving him at irregular intervals.

Part of her wanted to just leave, but could she really leave a child in that much pain. The answer came to her slower then she would have liked, she knew that it shouldn't take this long to come to a simple conclusion and yet her mind still pondered a way to get out of it. But she couldn't, she couldn't leave a child like that. Standing up she said looked at the woman. "Follow me" she nearly missed the look of fury on the woman's face turn to that of jubilation at her words.

It didn't take long to get to her room where she proceeded to try and do her best to help the child, though there was a lot more damage than she had expected. She was surprised that the boy was still alive. She worked all through the night to try to do something for him using what supplies she had as well as what Clara had on her. All she could do was wait until he woke up.

-(Flash Back end)-

And so we find Clara still sitting in the room waiting for her recent charge to wake up, she was trying to ponder over what to do with the boy. She could leave him at an orphanage in one of the villages, but then he would just be that an orphan hoping to be adopted one day. And she didn't believe that many of the orphanages in this continent would be able to help him. Very few in her own continent did, it was more if you were lucky to wind up in one of them where you have a chance at getting an education. He would either grow up and try and become a mercenary for one of the villages or enlist and serve the country. They were the two most likely scenarios.

She could take him back to his own home, where he would likely wind up in the same state that he did before if not worse. Then all the effort to keep him alive would be for not. To die a dogs death in your own home was no way for a child to live.

The last option would be to take him with her, but that posed a problem in its self. Would he want to come with her, would he be able to survive with her? What could she do to help him? Memories of a blonde haired girl came to mind, lifeless eyes staring up at her. Another life that she failed.

Shaking her head from unneeded thoughts, she tried to focus on what was in front of her. 'Only if he wants to learn how to fight will I take him.' Though she knew that she couldn't just ask him, asking the question outright will have an answer but it may not be the one that he truly wants.

'What is it you seek' the words asked to her so long ago, if she could meet her younger self she would probably slap her for the answer she gave. But wasn't that life, making choices and living with the consequences.

She heard the sound of rustling coming from the bed, 'looks like he is finally waking up, Tsunade should be getting back soon anyway' she didn't know what to think of the woman, she was thankful that she had helped heal him. Especially when she found out that, his wounds were much more severe then what she thought. She could only put believe that he was still alive down to the fact that he had a will to live. 'A will to live is a very good characteristic to have. You can go far by just wanting to live.' She mused to herself.

Shizune on the other hand seemed to be broken up at the sight of Naruto, the thought of a child being that badly injured seemed to shake her. Clara felt bad that the girl had been in the room when Tsunade had went told her about all of the injuries.

The talk with Tsunade about the Naruto wasn't easy.

-(flash back)-

It had been six hours since they came to the hotel room, Clara set in the seat by the bed. It wasn't that she didn't trust the woman, needless to say she didn't but that wasn't the point. No she set by the bed in the off chance that Naruto woke up, he would most likely be scared and disoriented, and it would not do well to have no one beside the boy.

Once Tsunade had finished with the long work of trying to fix the internal injuries she finally had a chance to ask some of the questions that had been plaguing her mind for the better part of six hours.

"Who is he and what happened to him?" she decided to not beat around the bush.

Clara looked at the woman in front of her weighing up what she should say, truth be told there wasn't much too actually hide. She knew his name and she knew what happened to him. She didn't know anything else. However, he was an orphan by his own admittance so it wasn't as if his name was overly important. With that thought, she decided to say what she knew.

"His name... Naruto Uzumaki" she hadn't been expecting any response, she had seen Tsunade adapt quite quickly to her accent and broken speech. Therefore, she was surprised when she saw a slight widening in the woman's eyes. That set off a warning in her head.

"And what happened to him?" her voice was calm analytical the composure of a perfect doctor.

"Not obvious... Not like... fell down some stairs" Clara spoke in a more aloof manner; the woman in front of her knew something, what she didn't know. She knew that there was every possibility that it was nothing of important, but information was power and if this woman had information that was even slightly relevant as to what had happened then she would find it out.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the woman sitting by the bed, after all the hassle she had made in order to try and get help to suddenly appear as if she doesn't care meant that she was up to something. Before she pressed on with that she had another question that she wanted answered.

"What were you saying earlier, what language was it even in?" she had travelled around quite a bit in her time away from the village and she had never heard anything like this woman had said, she had never even heard an accent like hers before.

"What?"

"You know what, that b...y ha...d n...o rs...t" even the words felt weird coming from her mouth.

"Why... you care?" Clara let her speak her questions she needed time to properly word her own.

Tsunade had to think about it, why did she care? There were two main reasons why she wanted to know, firstly was she was curious about the language itself she had never heard it before and wondered what part of the elemental nations used it. The second was one she was less proud of, when the woman had spoken the words she had felt terror and as if something was weighing upon her shoulders.

"I've never heard that language before, what part of the elemental nations is it from." Tsunade tried to keep her voice calm. This woman had peeked her intrigue.

Clara saw her chance to get some answers, "What… so shocking about… name Naruto Uzumaki?" the question came out as if she was asking. How's the weather?

The question shocked Tsunade, she didn't know why the Clara was asking her about Naruto.

"I don't know what you're talking about I just met the boy."

Taking a moment to think over her words she came to only one conclusion, 'doesn't know him, but maybe his last name?' "Well I come from up North"

"No one up in Kaminari no Kuni speaks that language" her eye was twitching.

"Then… why don't… tell me what… special about… Uzumaki?" asked Clara.

It wasn't hard to figure out what Clara was doing. "It's a dead clan name, there are very few of them left I didn't expect to see a boy who doesn't look like an Uzumaki using that name." It was a half-truth, they were a dead clan and there were very few of them left in the world, but she did know of one that would in theory be around this boy's age. So that begged the question why would a citizen of Konoha be with a foreign woman and being nearly beaten to death.

Clara pondered the information she had just heard, it took a bit of time to let it all sink in. "What… mean by Clan?" That was the weirdest part, in her lands a clan was a term for a group that were under one banner, there were multiple names to describe them but the two main ones were clan and guild. She herself had been once part of different clans and guilds, but you didn't take the name of the clan as a name.

That question left Tsunade stumped, if she needed proof that the woman in front of her wasn't from these lands then that was it. Even the most backward village in the Elemental Nations knew what a clan was. It was a part of their history. "Where are you from?" She didn't like playing games.

"Across… the sea… Continent called Camlain… so what a Clan?" The information she gave was unimportant, even if the woman was able to use it she was nearly certain that none had travelled the sea as far as her. Not threw lack of trying mind you.

"A Clan is a family of sorts, usually they have something special or unique, but really any big enough family can gain clan status. It's just usually easier if you have something to offer. All clans are now associated with one hidden village or another." Tsunade wouldn't lie, she was intrigued by the woman; only the foolish believed that the Elemental Nations were the be all and end all of the world. But to her knowledge none had ever come from across the seas and none had made the journey, and if they had they didn't make a return trip. It made sense, the clothes, the accent and the unknown dialect.

"So clan… is important. Where did… Uzumaki come from?" Clara was trying to make sense of the information she was getting. If Clans were important and they belong to someplace then the boy might have been attacked because of it.

"Originally, Uzushiogakure but it was destroyed years ago. The last one I knew lived in Konoha but she died f…" she had been so interested in trying to find out more about the woman and the land she came from she hadn't realised what she nearly let slip. The only thing that she could hope for is that if the boy is who she thinks he is that she wouldn't realise the slip.

Tsunade was hiding something from her, she didn't know what, it was hard to tell but it had something to do with Naruto. She could badger but there was one more thing that she wanted to know. "Is Konoha… one… hidden village… and if so… what symbol." She wasn't sure of what answer she wanted, she didn't know what would be the best answer to receive, so she just waited.

Tsunade didn't know what to do she had no love for the village after everything that had happened to her, and the more the conversation went on the more certain she was of what had happened. She decided to answer truthfully. "It is a hidden village" walking over to the desk she lifted a pen and paper before she started to draw on it. Upon finishing she handed the page to Clara.

Looking at the paper in her hands she clenched her fist around the stencilled image of a leaf. It was the same symbol as what the mercenary she killed was wearing.

After that all conversation stopped.

-(flashback end)-

Clara watched as Naruto started to stir, she was wondering how he would react. She sat patiently waiting for him to waken.

-()-

Slowly blue eyes drifted open to see a rather plain looking grey ceiling. What surprised him though was that it wasn't either his ceiling or the usual white of a hospital. 'Where… Where am I?' He tried to orientate his thoughts but it was hard.

He couldn't help the creeping fear he didn't know where he was, how he got there or how he was alive. He tried to think back to what had happened, it was hazy he couldn't remember much, he did remember that he was afraid. Terrified even.

He tried to move but he was stiff, how long had he been asleep. Sitting up he noticed that his hands were heavily bandaged, fear gripped his heart. 'What's happening?' he could feel the sting in his eyes as he tried to will the tears to stay back. Turning his head to try to see the room more he suddenly saw a woman with dirty blonde hair sitting patiently near the bed.

His heart leapt into his throat at the sight of her, 'why is she here, who is she?' with a shaky voice he tried to speak to her.

"Wh… who a… are you?" Naruto stuttered out. He didn't know why the woman seemed familiar.

"Don't worry… Naruto you… safe" she spoke in soothing tone. Naruto's eyes widened when she said his name.

"How do you know me? Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here?" he was rushing through his questions, he wasn't paying attention to the puzzled look on her face.

"Calm down… speak… slowly… I will… answer if… I can" she raised her hands in an attempt to placate him.

When the woman raised her hand Naruto seen the sword belted to her side. Upon seeing it he tried to scoot himself further back in the bed, hoping the woman wouldn't attack him.

"Don't worry… you… safe... won't hurt you." She still spoke to him in that calm voice, he tried to right himself. He tried to wipe the tears away from his eyes, he didn't know why he was here he just wanted to be back in his little cardboard box. His arms started to hurt he couldn't raise them. As the feeling of helplessness took over he couldn't stop as more tears fell from his eyes. 'Just go away, just leave me alone, please, please, please' He recited it over in his mind trying to lower his head far enough that the woman in the room would leave him alone.

Naruto was suddenly shifted from his thought as he felt the bed shift slightly he turned his head to the side to see the woman sitting beside him.

"It okay… you safe here." She smiled down at him, "My name is Clara… you not… need be afraid" she spoke as she wiped the tears from his eyes.

As Naruto took a good look at the woman he noticed that she had light scarring around her face, she was rather tanned with grey eyes. He couldn't help the feeling that he knew her for some reason.

"Want to… see… magic trick" she brought her closed hand up to her mouth before blowing into it. Then extending her arm she whispered "Ast" suddenly a small ball of fire appeared in her hand, she held it there for a few seconds before letting it faded away.

Naruto could feel his eyes widen to the size of dinner plates at what we just witnessed. "Ho… How?" he all but whispered out.

"Sshh" she said soothingly "It's a kind of magic" Naruto couldn't help the grin that came to his face when she said that.

"Do you… remember… what happened?" she asked quietly.

Naruto looked at the woman trying to think back to the last thing he did remember, he had been on the ground trying to cover himself, there was blinding pain, and a blurry face.

"Not really… they were hurting me but I don't remember much" he lowered his head in concentration trying to find out why the woman seemed so familiar to him. He started looking around the room until his eyes came to rest on a leather duster.

He couldn't help but feel hopeful when he seen it, he didn't know why, he knew he had seen a similar coat before. Getting out of his feet scurried across the floor to try and get him to the coat as fast as he could. He didn't know why but there was something familiar about the coat. Upon reaching it he tried to lift it, only that his bandaged arms were causing him pain. When he realised that it wasn't going to happen he lowered his head.

He felt a sudden wait on his shoulders and looked up to see Clara standing over him and the coat no longer on the chair. A face splitting grin appeared on him as he scampered over to the mirror.

The coat was huge on him and trailed along the floor, as he got to the mirror he seen that it covered him completely. "Do you… remember that… coat?" Clara was holding in a chuckle at the boys antics.

Nodding his head he turned around and went back to sit on the bed, a small satisfied grin on his lips. After managing to get himself back onto the bed, through no small amount of effort as the coat threatened to fall off him and he couldn't use his arms to right himself.

"I remember someone wearing a coat like this. I think that they helped me" even though the coat was big and set awkwardly on him he felt safe.

Clara stood looking at him waiting to see if he would be able to put it together, after two minutes she looked at him to see a confused look on his face. 'He can't still be thinking over it can he.'

"Um do you know who owns this coat?" he asked, his head tilted to the side in thought. Clara didn't know whether to sigh at question or laugh. She settled for shaking her head.

"My… coat, to answer… next question, yes… I… the one… helped you."

Naruto looked at the woman again trying to place her face. When he finally realised that she was the other person there he let out a loud shout. "Eh that was you!" he tried to point his arm but let out a loud shout as he hurt himself trying to raise it.

Clara couldn't hold in the laughter at his response, after she settled down the room became quiet.

Both occupants were trying to think over what there next question was going to be. Clara wanted to find out what she should do next with little Naruto. And Naruto trying to find the best way to ask his own question.

Being a very blunt and direct child Naruto took the plunge "Can you teach me to fight?"

Let it never be said that Naruto Uzumaki knew anything about tact.

A.N

Hope you enjoyed feel free to give any feedback, constructive criticism can only help in the long run.